The Station Assocation game has been a great success over an extended period, and the Settlement Association game, though young, is also looking like a classic thread! Thus, I would like to try another association game!

This time, you have to name a football club that shares a link with the previous example. Once again, I would like to ask that we restrict ourselves to Great Britain; I would allow Northern Irish clubs but many of us will only know of a select few which may cause problems. And before you ask, I have been careful in my choice of thread name, because "Football Association" - the obvious choice - would need to be accompanied by a playing of the Imperial March theme from Star Wars!

Anyhow, on to the game. As ever, an example:

Person X says Preston North End.
Person Y says Bury, because it was once suggested that their name be changed to Manchester North End.
Person Z says Tottenham Hotspur, because their ground's name also ends in "Lane".

'Course it is Anything that works. Some of the associations in the other two are far more remote than that!

Cardiff once came within goal average of winning the title, something they have never managed, but fell at the last (I believe they missed a penalty which would have won them the title! Who says penalty shoot-outs are a recent thing...?). Although not by quite as fine a margin, Rotherham United once failed to attain promotion to the top flight, something they have never managed, due to the same tie-breaker.

Derby County also have the word "county" in their name ( Last year, I would have been able to post Stockport County, but they are heading to the stage that if their plummet downwards continues, they will be lucky to be playing in the local "Sunday Schools" league)..:roll:

The last clue had a bird as part of its clue, but West Bromwich Albion also have an avian nickname (when was a Throstle last seen flying around The Hawthorns ?) and also are one of the few teams to have the word "Albion" in their name

Aston Villa played Darlington in the FA cup Third Round on the 11th of December 1999. The gane finsihed 2-1 in favour of Aston Villa, thanks to a great gaol by BEnito Carbone and some superb saves form David James to deny fitst Neil Heaney and then Peter Duffield. I was there - Why so special?

Darlington had been knocked out of the FA Cup in round two by Gillingham ( who drew Walsall - UNLUCKY!). Darlington were the "lucky looser" who stepped into the third round draw to replace Manceshter United ( who were playing in some tin pot cup in Brasil)

his is the only time in FA Cup history a tram kncoked out has featrued in the next round!